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EliteXC’s “Saturday Night Fights” is airing live on CBS. This, the first live MMA on network TV features Kimbo Slice vs. James Thompson as the main event and a title fight between Robbie Lawler and Scott Smith.
EliteXC: If It’s on TV, It Must Be Good!
Kimbo Slice vs. James Thompson is a good fight for EliteXC. Thompson is a big intimidating fighter that fought a bunch in Pride. He can knock you out and he will probably try unsuccessfully to take Kimbo down. This is exactly what EXC wants, and understandably so; a fight the looks challenging but is ultimately winnable for Slice.
From a marketing to casual fan perspective it doesn’t matter how many times he’s been knocked out, or the quality of opponents he’s beat.
I don’t think EliteXC should make this the main event, but I can certainly understand their decision. Kimbo is their claim to fame among casual fans, but I think they can accomplish their goal by focusing their pre-fight marketing on this fight, but making Lawler vs. Smith the main event. This is just like what they did with Silva vs. Rodriguez.
EliteXC has to make sure that they have an exciting main event for their network television debut. Remember that as intriguing as Nogueira/Sylvia was, Mir/Lesnar was ultimately the more exciting fight. However, Lawler vs. Smith certainly has all the potential to be just as exciting as Kimbo vs. Thompson, if not more so. Also EliteXC should be looking past Kimbo as their lone star. After all it’s practically inevitable that he will eventually be beat, and there is always a chance he could switch promotions. I don’t think viewers will stop watching after the Kimbo fight, especially if there is a title fight afterwards. Also making Lawler vs. Smith the main event says to viewers that they have more to offer then just one star and demonstrates an appreciation for mixed martial arts as a sport, which sounds very respectable.
As for the idea that Kimbo vs. Thompson shouldn’t be the main event because it’s not a proper depiction of MMA as a sport, I could not disagree with this more. Consider Jackson vs. Liddell II. That fight wound up about as skilled as Kimbo vs. Tank.
Kimbo’s past does set a bad precedent, but you can’t blame Kimbo or EliteXC. On one hand you don’t want to set the example that criminal activity is a lucrative course. On the other hand it’s Kimbo’s turning himself into a legit mixed martial artist that leads to success. Ultimately he deserves a chance like everyone else.
My Picks: 7-4
Kevin Ferguson
Kaitlin Young
Joey Villasenor
Brett Rogers
Wilson Reis
Nick Serra
Andre Soares
Joe Sampieri
Chris Liguori
James Jones
Carlos Moreno
Kimbo Slice vs. James Thompson is a good fight for EliteXC. Thompson is a big intimidating fighter that fought a bunch in Pride. He can knock you out and he will probably try unsuccessfully to take Kimbo down. This is exactly what EXC wants, and understandably so; a fight the looks challenging but is ultimately winnable for Slice.
From a marketing to casual fan perspective it doesn't matter how many times he's been knocked out, or the quality of opponents he's beat.
I don't think EliteXC should make this the main event, but I can certainly understand their decision. Kimbo is their claim to fame among casual fans, but I think they can accomplish their goal by focusing their pre-fight marketing on this fight, but making Lawler vs. Smith the main event. This is just like what they did with Silva vs. Rodriguez.
EliteXC has to make sure that they have an exciting main event for their network television debut. Remember that as intriguing as Nogueira/Sylvia was, Mir/Lesnar was ultimately the more exciting fight. However, Lawler vs. Smith certainly has all the potential to be just as exciting as Kimbo vs. Thompson, if not more so. Also EliteXC should be looking past Kimbo as their lone star. After all it's practically inevitable that he will eventually be beat, and there is always a chance he could switch promotions. I don't think viewers will stop watching after the Kimbo fight, especially if there is a title fight afterwards. Also making Lawler vs. Smith the main event says to viewers that they have more to offer then just one star and demonstrates an appreciation for mixed martial arts as a sport, which sounds very respectable.
As for the idea that Kimbo vs. Thompson shouldn't be the main event because it's not a proper depiction of MMA as a sport, I could not disagree with this more. Consider Jackson vs. Liddell II. That fight wound up about as skilled as Kimbo vs. Tank.
Kimbo's past does set a bad precedent, but you can't blame Kimbo or EliteXC. On one hand you don't want to set the example that criminal activity is a lucrative course. On the other hand it's Kimbo's turning himself into a legit mixed martial artist that leads to success. Ultimately he deserves a chance like everyone else.
My Picks: 7-4
Kevin Ferguson
Kaitlin Young
Joey Villasenor
Brett Rogers
Wilson Reis
Nick Serra
Andre Soares
Joe Sampieri
Chris Liguori
James Jones
Carlos Moreno